Tivo V6 : Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Agreed, also the demonstrations would take a long time as well so fewer installs in a day

That's a good point actually as existing customers will be self install.

[Andy C]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

If you are happy to pay a price increase for an inferior box, that's your prerogative.

If you choose to do this, you shouldn't "whine" or "moan" about it on here, but do something about it as I did.

The main point of the post was that they are being carried in other areas by the engineers, even tho he hadn't installed any yet.

I have tried doing something as I didn't want to loose recordings again in a month or two. Basically got passed around every department and got nowhere. Any point of contact would be gratefully received


A.

[Rob King]

With the Formula 1 contract with Sky a few years away i think Sky will be hard to get it back with Liberty Media buying the Formula 1 out i think we should get 4k soon i hope

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Andy C

The main point of the post was that they are being carried in other areas by the engineers, even tho he hadn't installed any yet.

I have tried doing something as I didn't want to loose recordings again in a month or two. Basically got passed around every department and got nowhere. Any point of contact would be gratefully received


A.

Thanks for explaining.

I can 100% understand where you're coming from.

The first time I rang retentions they went down the route of trying to say that my box was slow due to a fault and they'd send an engineer out.

My belief that this was a waste of time because the fault lies in the inability of the box to run the software has been confirmed on here by VM engineers.

All that they can do is swap the box, which runs fine for a short time, before you're back to square one again.

As at that point I was going to insist on a V6 and if it wasn't forthcoming then I'd be leaving, it just seemed a waste of everyone's time, with the only outcome being that i'd lose all my recordings even earlier.

I rang to say that I wanted to cancel and was met with utter indifference, so escelated the matter via an old university friend who is a manager at VM.

I realise that this option isn't open to everyone and really do sympathise with those stuck with a slow box.

All I can suggest is if you're out of contract (or are able to get out of it due to the price rise) tell them that you'll leave unless you get a new box (I was fortunate in having the added leverage of many non domestic VM accounts that I was able to use to my advantage during negotiations).

As we now know that the new box definitely comes out on 1 December, it might be easier to just hang on for a little longer.

I don't know if you will be expected to pay a lump sum or an extra ongoing monthly fee, but I wasn't, but that might have been done to appease me.

If VM are giving these out for nothing to all their existing customers, this will steal a march over Sky.

I also think it's the least they can do to apologise for the service that their customers have had to put up with.

*Before anyone accuses me of making this thread about me again, I am merely responding to another persons post/questions as has previously been the case.

When my new box arrives, I will be more than happy to answer any questions about it that I can.

I won't be able to answer anything about its 4K abilities though, as I don't have this service

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Andy C

I've just had my box swapped out due to a faulty hard drive meaning all my recordings were unwatchable. The engineer said he had V6 boxes in the van but hadn't had a job yet. He echoed what's been said here that they're only going to select new customers as part of a pilot (unless you whine and moan it seems).

Slightly gutting when he had them yet I'm going to loose all my recordings yet again when I can get the V6 hopefully in a month or two.


-A.

I agree. My box is on its last legs now. It has frozen in the middle of a programme I recorded on two recent occasions. Each time, the box started a re-boot, failed within seconds, started again, failed and so on in a loop it could not seem to escape. Unplugging it for a couple of minutes sorted it out, but sooner or later it will pack up. For this reason, I am banking on the new boxes being available to all of us on 1 December.

I am inquiring on Monday whether I can book a new box for December, but I think I know what the answer will be. That is, that I will have to wait until the launch before placing a booking. I hope I'm wrong.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I agree. My box is on its last legs now. It has frozen in the middle of a programme I recorded on two recent occasions. Each time, the box started a re-boot, failed within seconds, started again, failed and so on in a loop it could not seem to escape. Unplugging it for a couple of minutes sorted it out, but sooner or later it will pack up. For this reason, I am banking on the new boxes being available to all of us on 1 December.

I am inquiring on Monday whether I can book a new box for December, but I think I know what the answer will be. That is, that I will have to wait until the launch before placing a booking. I hope I'm wrong.

Perhaps, even on 1 December, it will be released for new customers only, for the reasons given below by PB? New customers are more likely to cancel during the cooling off period if their box is slow (although mine was fine for the first month or so).

It doesn't look good on VM if the box starts performing badly just after the expiration of the cooling off period though.

If this turns out to be the case, you'd face the problem of losing your recordings on the failed box and face the prospect of losing them again from your replacement if you upgraded to a V6.

Originally Posted by passingbat

Commercially, that makes sense, given that new customers, receiving an old slow box could cancel. The slowness would cause an instant bad impression, and Tivo's features would be less obvious.

All the benefits of PVR's were explained, but the downsides were never mentioned. A VCR could break down, be changed to another rental company, you could unsubscribe from a channel that you have recordings from etc and you'd still have all of your tapes.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Rob King

With the Formula 1 contract with Sky a few years away i think Sky will be hard to get it back with Liberty Media buying the Formula 1 out i think we should get 4k soon i hope

LGI and Liberty Media are separate companies so F1 will have to sell it to the best bidder which at the moment seems to be the highest bidder. But F1 could put stipulations into the contract to ensure wider distribution of 4K on all platforms.

---------- Post added at 14:40 ---------- Previous post was at 14:36 ----------

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I agree. My box is on its last legs now. It has frozen in the middle of a programme I recorded on two recent occasions. Each time, the box started a re-boot, failed within seconds, started again, failed and so on in a loop it could not seem to escape. Unplugging it for a couple of minutes sorted it out, but sooner or later it will pack up. For this reason, I am banking on the new boxes being available to all of us on 1 December.

I am inquiring on Monday whether I can book a new box for December, but I think I know what the answer will be. That is, that I will have to wait until the launch before placing a booking. I hope I'm wrong.

I would kick up a fuss if I were you. I'm sure the box will be for new customers at the start but you can always say you'll write to consumers' champions at the newspapers etc.

[telegramsam]

On the other hand existing customers seeing new customers getting the new box and not them be so hacked off they cancel and go to sky!

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by telegramsam

On the other hand existing customers seeing new customers getting the new box and not them be so hacked off they cancel and go to sky!

True, especially as so many have supported the company for years.

[Kabaal]

Originally Posted by telegramsam

On the other hand existing customers seeing new customers getting the new box and not them be so hacked off they cancel and go to sky!

Except most of us have conveniently just signed up to a new contract after the recent price rises

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Kabaal

Except most of us have conveniently just signed up to a new contract after the recent price rises

If you mean as part of retention deals, this is why I have refused to accept a new contract until I have a working V6 in my possession

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

If you mean as part of retention deals, this is why I have refused to accept a new contract until I have a working V6 in my possession

To be fair, you have management contacts, which helped you to get the arrangement that you did. And there's nothing wrong at all in using that contact to your advantage. Other people will not have that advantage and it could be difficult for them to achieve the same result.


Here's a thought; without that contact, you may have been heading for Sky now!

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by passingbat

To be fair, you have management contacts, which helped you to get the arrangement that you did. And there's nothing wrong at all in using that contact to your advantage. Other people will not have that advantage and it could be difficult for them to achieve the same result.


Here's a thought; without that contact, you may have been heading for Sky now!

Yes, that had crossed my mind. VM are going to find it difficult until they accept that the 'customer is king'.

Might be worth you trying it though, you've got nothing to lose

Everytime a Sky Q box is powered up, perhaps the severed cable connection sheds a tear. Maybe this is why they are now sending out caps for former customers to fit

Originally Posted by Kabaal

Except most of us have conveniently just signed up to a new contract after the recent price rises

Not all of us, cancelled TV & Phone, gone to Freeview

[telegramsam]

Originally Posted by Kabaal

Except most of us have conveniently just signed up to a new contract after the recent price rises

Well there is that,although a sales rep from bt recently told me they (bt) have a scheme were they buy up your existing contract from your current provided when you sign up to them. Don't know if sky have a similar scheme or not? If they do as I said existing virgin customers may go over to sky.